Getting ready for the party was…actually really fun. Minako had given him some Capitol-acceptable, non-Forest-y clothes to walk around in, and had really made an effort to make him look fashionable. He was just glad he didn't have to look like he crawled out of a bush while shopping for a suit.
"I really like this one, Yuuri," Minako sung, holding up the midnight-blue jacket to his chest.
"That's made of fabrics imported from the South. It's one of the nicest pieces we have in stock. One of a kind. I honestly was a little apprehensive putting it out. People in the Capitol have no style…" the shop owner, a dear friend of Minako's, sighed.
"Yeah, just look at all the nobles. They'll embroider their family name in gold on anything they can get their hands on!" They both laughed. Yuuri had no idea what they were talking about but nervously chuckled to fit in.
"Shit, Minako! I have the perfect suit for him! Wait here!" He dashed out of sight. Minako put the other suit away and shrugged, smiling. Yuuri took a moment to look at her. She had aged, but she didn't look old. For the first time in all the years Yuuri had known her, she looked happy. In years past, when Yuuri was younger, he noticed that she only looked truly happy when dancing. But now, she was happy all the time. Smiling, laughing with her friends. He was so grateful that she moved to the Capitol. This is her place.
"Here we go!" The shop-owner exclaimed, coming from nowhere. "Now this… this is seriously unique. I… I actually made this suit myself. Usually I would never offer one of my original pieces, but this is a special occasion. You're a special person, Yuuri. I can tell. And Minako is special, too. This suit was made for you, Yuuri, I just didn't know it!" Yuuri smiled tentatively, looking at Minako for permission.
"Go ahead. Put it on."
He had never really considered himself good looking. He never really needed to. In Hasetsu, looks didn't really matter. But the Capitol was different. Everyone has a look. Everyone has a style. And Yuuri didn't know if he would fit in. But looking at himself in this suit, this gorgeous piece of art, he learned something new about himself.
He was handsome.
And so was the suit. It was black as coal, black as night, with an elaborate white embroidery that cascaded down his arms from his shoulder to the cuffs. It was simple, but there was something about it which made it absolutely perfect.
"I… I don't know what to say…"
"Well, you can start by telling me if it's a little tight in the hips. No? Good. Lemme check some other problem areas…" And proceeded to make Yuuri very uncomfortable.
"Alright, what are we looking at as far as price?"
"Nothing," the owner said, face buried firmly between Yuuri's shoulder blades for some reason.
"Nothing? Listen, I don't wanna-" he interrupted Minako with a sigh.
"Minako, I have never seen anyone wear my work so beautifully. I would be honored to have Yuuri wear this. I'm serious! Stop laughing!"
"Well, Yuuri? Do you like it?" He did. He felt… good. Worthy. Loved.
"King Viktor, everything is ready for the party tonight. The cooks are still busy with the food, but they're always get done on time…" Viktor beamed and thanked the servant profusely for her hard work. Everything was perfect. He was thrilled. All that's left is to check to the Kingsmen and make sure that they're all in proper uniform. It was difficult sometimes to convince them to wear something they couldn't easily fight in. One time he caught Otabek wearing combat boots with silk pants.
"If something happens, I can run to your side easier."
"Otabek, if something happens, your shoes wouldn't handicap you that much. Also, I can defend myself for the most part."
"My job is to make sure you don't have to."
"Well," Viktor had said, sighing, "it's just a dinner with some nobles. The worst thing that could happen is that they think I let my men dress like that." Otabek had given him a blank look.
He found all of them running through a few drills in the training grounds. They all took a knee when he walked into sight.
"Good morning, everyone! I'm so happy so see all of you back at the Castle." He smiled. "Recently, my world has been dark. But seeing all of you fills my heart with happiness."
"My King," Otabek said, standing, "we want to give you something. In celebration of your journey and your health." He looked around at his peers before continuing, "We've decided, collectively, to renew our vows." Oh.
"I… I don't know what to say." Viktor's voice cracked. His men and women. His protectors. His friends. They stood and, instead of preforming the traditional Northern military salute, put their hands over their stomachs. An ancient symbol of the Kingsmen for ultimate devotion.
"With my hands," Otabek shouted, the others repeated.
I will protect my King.
I have chosen him.
And he has chosen me.
And Viktor cried.
In the end, after much debate, they decided to compromise. Minako didn't have her own carriage, of course, but she did have a lot of friends (a surprising amount of which "had a few laying around," whatever that meant). Yuuri didn't understand why they could just walk, but, apparently, the whole situation was more complicated than that. According to Mianko, one must "roll up in style."
And they'd need a quick get-away.
Just in case.
The driver, who had come with the carriage, needed no directions to their destination. No one needed directions to the Castle. It beamed as both a symbol of strength and progress and a breathtaking reminder of government-related bullshit. Carved into the largest mountain in the North Corner, it looked as fragile as ice. An ironic reflection of the current monarchy.
Yuuri too nervous to hold a conversation and Minako not really having anything to say, they rode the entire way in silence. And it ended up being quite a long carriage ride with traffic. After all, everyone who was anyone was invited to the King's party, and that ended up being a lot of people. This made Yuuri all the more frustrated with having to ride in a carriage. Surely they would have arrived by now if they had just walked!
But, finally, they reached the mountain and began the worst part of the drive: the upward ascent to the front doors to the Castle. A little Earth magic was involved (as all carriage drivers were required to practice, a surprise to Yuuri) to keep the carriage moving forward on such a steep incline, but, otherwise, it was a smooth ride. Yuuri looked out the tiny window on the door as he felt the floor beneath him level.
They had arrived.
The carriage came to a halt. Yuuri took a shaky inhale. He looked over at Minako, then put on his mask. They were lucky that the King chose for his party to be a masquerade. It was almost stupid of him, really. King Viktor had given Yuuri the power of anonymity, and what a dangerous power it was. He felt especially confident knowing that he had made his mask himself, so of course it was flattering. That and his gorgeous suit. And, as he looked down at himself to check that there weren't any stains on his suit, something inside him clicked. Suddenly, Yuuri felt confident. Yuuri felt… bold. He could do this.
"Eros," Ah, his masquerade name, "Let's go." The door to the carriage opened and he stepped out after Minako, breathing in the mountain air. It was thin, but Yuuri was unfazed. One hand holding the skirt of her black dress and the other wrapped around Eros' arm, Minako was escorted to the stairs.
As they made their way to the main entrance, two massive, wooden doors opened inwards, Eros looked for something. When he found it, he couldn't help but smile. Right there, embedded deeply in the wood of the left door of the entrance to King Viktor Nikiforov's royal castle just above eye level and near the hinge, was an arrow. He knew, somehow, that he was the only person that could see that arrow. He felt pride, having penetrated the barrier between the King and the outside world.
"Is something wrong?" Minako asked, looking Eros in the eye.
"Nothing, nothing. Just thinking about how far I've come."
"Are you ready to go in?" He smiled devilishly at her in response, to which she chuckled.
They reached the last step. Minako had told Eros that, traditionally, the Kingsmen formed two lines running down the entire length of the entrance hallway which led to the ballroom, but he could have never been prepared for this. The corridor was long, and the Kingsmen stood proud, acting as a barrier between the real world and Viktor's world. It should have made him scared, but Eros couldn't wait to pass each and every one of them, none the wiser. It was time. It was his time.
His nerves did kick in, though, as he passed the last few Kingsmen before entering the ballroom. He recognized Otabek immediately, and it seemed like Otabek almost recognized him, too. Their eyes locked.
Shit! I have to think fast. What wouldn't Yuuri do?
Eros took his free hand and blew a kiss, winking. He couldn't tell whether Otabek's eyebrow twitched out of embarrassment or irritation, but he enjoyed that reaction and used it to fuel his confidence. Well, that took care of that. Any suspicion was probably long gone.
Their entrance to the ball wasn't grand. In fact, they slid in with relative ease, which was perfect. He wanted to let the party settle into before he confronted the King. He probably needed to talk to some nobles first to find out what Viktor had been doing for the past several months. He looked around briefly for the King and was relieved when he didn't find him. There would be time for Viktor later.
Minako squeezed his arm, leading him to the side of the ballroom, towards a circle of people.
"These are a few of my friends," she whispered, "they'll set you up with a few people you may be able to get some information out of." He nodded.
"Minako? Is that you?" One said, pointing in their direction.
"You're not supposed to recognize me. This is a masquerade after all!" She detached from Eros and hugged a few of her friends.
"It's easy to recognize you when your mask is shit! Besides, no one else in the North Corner has a dancer's body like yours. I would recognize those shoulders anywhere!" Everyone laughed, and Eros joined in.
"Oh, Minako! Tell us about your date! I never thought you'd be such a cougar…" One friend ran her eyes down his entire body and said to the side, "He's so handsome!"
"This is Eros, an old friend of mine. He's visiting from out of town. There isn't anyone you all could introduce him to, is there?"
"Ah, I understand. He's here on business. In that case, I can show him off to a few higher-ups. They'll take to a handsome foreigner quick." One of Minako's friends took his arm and began to guide him to the other side of the ballroom. He looked over his shoulder one more time at Minako, who gave him a nod. Thank god for Minako.
"My King, you are looking very fine this evening."
"Thank you, Christophe. I haven't worn this suit in ages, but something told me to wear it tonight." Viktor stood in front of the mirror in his room, checking every part of his outfit for stains and wrinkles. Christophe stood behind him, fixing his collar. He wondered why he hadn't worn this suit more. He had a tailor from town who owned a clothing store make it for him. According to the store owner, he didn't really like to sell his own creations. They were pieces of art. But Viktor had convinced him to let him try it on, and, when they discovered that it would fit him perfectly with a few adjustments, the store owner had let him keep it.
It was almost entirely white, save for the intricate leafy pattern that was embroidered in back thread that ran down the sleeves and sides of his pants. Apparently, this was the tailor's signature style. He had made another suit, black with white accents, but it hadn't fit Viktor in any sense, and he was forced to abandon it.
How tragic!
"He still looks like an old man, though," Yurio laughed from one of Viktor's chairs. kov pinched Yurio's shoulder. "Yakov!"
"He looks healthy. That's what matters."
"Healthy and royal," Christophe added. "Are you ready for your crown, Viktor?" Viktor nodded, and Christophe placed it gently on his head. There was a comfortable silence.
"Christophe, there haven't been any issues so far, right?"
"Right."
"And Grandmother has been given a chair beside my throne, along with Yurio? And Yakov?"
"Yes. I made sure of it myself."
"In that case," Viktor smiled, looking around at his friends, "I believe it's time for me to make an entrance!"
She sat, looking out the window in her room. It was a beautiful night. Nights like these reminded her of her home in the Forest. She missed the Forest terribly, but she knew that she would have to return to the Castle one day. She always had known. The day she had left she had known.
Her head snapped up. Something caught her attention. There was someone here. The Forest was here.
He was here, in his waking form. But the darkness lingered. It was waiting.
A terrible feeling consumed her. Tonight, the Light and Dark would meet. They had already encountered one another prematurely, but they hadn't known and they weren't powerful enough to cause serious damage. But now, things were different. The Dark was stronger, but completely unaware of his true power. And the Light was stronger for having suffered through the consequences of his own actions. But they couldn't meet yet. There was so much they didn't understand. She thought there would be more time, but, chuckling to herself, she realizes that there's never enough time.
Tonight. Tonight. Tonight.
Tonight could only be brilliant or tragic.
She had to warn Yakov.
"Grandmother! Let's make an entrance! Are you ready for the party? I had a seat prepared for you…"
It was already too late.
